Around 200 Nyrstar NV shareholders have joined a criminal case against the company, their lawyer Laurent Arnauts confirmed on Monday evening.
The metal production company is under investigation for forgery, misuse of falsified annual accounts, and exploitation of corporate assets.
This latest group of plaintiffs owns about 2% of the company. They are separate from a minority shareholder group controlling about 15% of shares, which has been pursuing legal action for seven years.
The criminal investigation in Antwerp was initiated following a referral by financial regulator FSMA, and it may be linked to recent developments regarding Nyrstar NV’s future.
At the end of last month, news surfaced that the company could face dissolution on 30 June, though whether the vote on this matter will occur remains uncertain.
According to Arnauts, executives appointed by Trafigura, the multinational commodities giant that previously acquired Nyrstar NV, aim to close the chapter at the upcoming general shareholder meeting on 30 June.
“They plan to claim the money has run out, expecting minority shareholders to give up," Arnauts said. "The few liquid assets Trafigura left in the company, after draining it, were used to combat minority shareholders and shield themselves.
"The FSMA has taken a stand, and now the judiciary is drawing a line as well.”
Nyrstar NV is a listed entity with no operating assets or production sites.
